Fun Facts About Clean Energy You Probably Didn’t Know

These days it seems that terms like “renewable and sustainable energy” are on everyone’s lips. And despite all the talk and hype, there are still many popular misconceptions about renewable energy and what it means for our planet’s future. Yes, we know that it’s better for the environment, but what exactly does that mean for us?

So, let’s take a moment to look at the facts.

What is renewable energy?

The term renewable energy refers to any energy source that can be utilized more than once. For example, fossil fuels like coal can only be burned once to create energy. Once that lump of coal is burned up, there’s no way to use it again quickly.

On the other hand, when we use a resource like the wind to turn a turbine, it does not stop blowing as soon as we take energy from it. We take some of its kinetic energy, but there will always be more wind. As another example, when we use biomass (plant matter) for energy, we may burn a singular plant, but we can always grow more relatively quickly.

Here are our top 5 renewable energy fun facts:

1. Renewable energy creates 5x more jobs than fossil fuels

Fortunes have been made in the oil industry, so this is a statistic few oil tycoons want you to know about. However, clean energy jobs outnumber fossil fuel jobs by more than 2.5 to 1, and when it comes to exclusively coal and gas (excluding oil), that number rises to 5 to 1.

That means for every 1,000 people employed in the coal and gas industries, there are 5,000 jobs available in the renewable energy sector.

Best of all, these jobs are created locally. Much of our oil and fuel comes from overseas, and so there is even more opportunity to create jobs here in the Uganda ( Africa ) with the help of renewables.

2. Solar power could be the world’s top power source by 2050

According to a report by the International Energy Agency, solar power is set to be the number one power source by 2050. Why? The solar industry is growing fast each and every year, as it is one of the few renewable energy sources that can be utilized by businesses and individuals alike. Virtually any open space or rooftop can be used to place solar panels.

While solar panels lack some efficiency currently, that is quickly changing. As the panels themselves become more sophisticated, they’ll be even more eagerly adopted.

3. One wind turbine can power up to 1,500 homes for a year

Yes, you read that correctly. The average on-land wind turbine (2.5-3MW capacity) can produce enough electricity to power 1,500 average homes. If you look to offshore turbines, this number increases exponentially due to their advantageous positioning, with the capacity to power an impressive 3,312 households!

That single wind turbine also creates jobs and requires little maintenance over its lifetime. The average wind turbine lasts for 20-25 years, meaning it can power 1,500 homes each year for a quarter of a century. If that’s not clean energy, we don’t know what it is!

4. Massive corporations are pledging to go green

The switch to renewable energy is everyone’s responsibility, and so numerous top companies have pledged to go green or even achieve net-zero soon. Here are some of the most innovative:

• Tesla: Tesla, of course, is no stranger to thinking green. Since they build some of the world’s most popular electric vehicles, it’s no surprise to learn that they are also developing super-efficient batteries to store renewable energy sources.
• McDonald’s: Not often looked to for being good for us or the planet, McDonald’s is actually making major changes to ensure that they do less damage to the planet. They’ve switched to energy-efficient appliances, encouraging hybrid and electric vehicles in their parking lots, and are doing more to source their animal products from considerate sources.
• Dell: Dell implemented a recycling policy so their products don’t fill landfills. Customers can give back any of their old branded products for free, so they can recycle and dispose of them responsibly.
• Google: Google constructed the most energy-efficient data centers in the world and is a voice for good when it comes to the need to conserve energy. Google continues to support and fund green energy initiatives and projects, and even buys and installs solar panels and wind turbines.
• Walmart: Walmart has done a significant amount to ensure their supply chains are as green as possible. They cut off any suppliers that weren’t doing anything to ensure their distribution and manufacturing methods were cutting down on carbon emissions.

5. Renewable energy can help you save money

We often hear the argument that we can’t switch to renewable energy sources because it’s too costly to build the new infrastructure. While building any new infrastructure is costly, did you know that in the US if they were on 100% renewable energy, it would actually save $321 billion in energy costs each year?

A study by Rewiring America found that households would save a significant amount of money by switching to clean energy sources. If all elements within a household ran on clean energy (that includes things like your furnace), it could save the average household a tantalizing $2,500 a year. Who wouldn’t like that much money back in their pocket?

In many cases, we’re told that switching to renewable energy will require sacrifice, but that’s simply not the case. In the long term, we can expect to see significant savings for our actions, especially for those who can afford to be early adopters of electric vehicles.

If you want to be a part of this global change for the better, you don’t need to wait! You have the power to choose clean energy now for your home. Our customers are just like you: decided to make a positive change by switching their homes to clean energy at a fixed monthly price.